Combination of traditional and biotechnological techniques for the propagation of different bamboo species

Abstract

In vitro propagation allows cloning pathogen-free and uniform plants. This technique favours transportation and availability of plants all the year. Several challenges have been described for in vitro propagation of bamboo species. Among them, the most important are endogenous microbial contamination and necrosis of the explants. These have limited the possibility to use the efficient and repeatable in vitro propagation protocols developed so far. Establishing plant propagation schemes that combine the facilities of tissue culture and traditional techniques is an excellent choice to put in the hands of farmers sustainable and environmentally friendly systems. The species used in the research were Guadua angustifolia Kunth and Bambusa vulgaris var. vulgaris. Axillary buds of rejuvenated plants at greenhouse were used as initial explants. The contaminants of high frequency appearing in a population of plants at greenhouse and in vitro culture were also identified for the first time. Also, the presence of polyphenols in both, dead in vitro axillary buds and on the culture medium was identified. Plants transferred to the greenhouse delivered from four to seven new suckers with high rates of survival during the removing of suckers. Plants produced in the laboratory and acclimatized were delivered to farmers. They are in charge of removing suckers at nursery level. These results demonstrated the possibility of using strategies of local development work which enable farmers to access products high technology. Keywords: local actors, in vitro plants, plant propagation